National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Topics
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (2)
- Adverse Events (19)
- Antibiotics (5)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (4)
- Behavioral Health (2)
- Brain Injury (1)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (5)
- Caregiving (3)
- Care Management (2)
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (1)
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) (3)
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- COVID-19 (2)
- Critical Care (32)
- Data (1)
- Decision Making (2)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (10)
- Education: Continuing Medical Education (2)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (3)
- Emergency Department (4)
- Evidence-Based Practice (1)
- Family Health and History (2)
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (5)
- Healthcare Delivery (3)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (3)
- Heart Disease and Health (2)
- Hospitalization (4)
- Hospital Readmissions (1)
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- Infectious Diseases (1)
- Inpatient Care (4)
- (-) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (74)
- Medical Errors (3)
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- Medication: Safety (2)
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- Newborns/Infants (2)
- Nursing (3)
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- Patient-Centered Healthcare (2)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (3)
- Patient and Family Engagement (4)
- Patient Safety (22)
- Practice Patterns (2)
- Provider (1)
- Provider: Clinician (1)
- Public Health (1)
- Quality Improvement (8)
- Quality of Care (5)
- Quality of Life (2)
- Registries (6)
- Respiratory Conditions (7)
- Risk (5)
- Sepsis (4)
- Simulation (3)
- Sleep Problems (1)
- Stress (1)
- Surgery (1)
- Teams (2)
- Training (2)
- Transitions of Care (2)
- Trauma (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 74 Research Studies DisplayedSick-Samuels AC, Koontz DW, Xie A
A survey of PICU clinician practices and perceptions regarding respiratory cultures in the evaluation of ventilator-associated infections in the BrighT STAR Collaborative.
A survey of medical professionals from 16 different academic pediatric hospitals was conducted from May 2021-January 2022. The goal of the survey was to examine respiratory culture practices, drivers, and barriers in mechanically ventilated patients. The study concluded that respiratory culture practices were inconsistent.
AHRQ-funded; HS028634.
Citation: Sick-Samuels AC, Koontz DW, Xie A .
A survey of PICU clinician practices and perceptions regarding respiratory cultures in the evaluation of ventilator-associated infections in the BrighT STAR Collaborative.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024 Jan; 25(1):e20-e30. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003379..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Cifra CL, Custer JW, Smith CM
Prevalence and characteristics of diagnostic error in pediatric critical care: a multicenter study.
This study’s objective was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of diagnostic errors and identify factors associated with error in patients admitted to the PICU. This multicenter cohort study used structured medical record review by trained clinicians using the Revised Safer Dx instrument to identify diagnostic error (defined as missed opportunities in diagnosis). The cohort included 882 randomly selected patients 0-18 years old who were nonelectively admitted to participating PICUs. Of these admissions, 13 (1.5%) had a diagnostic error up to 7 days after PICU admission, with infections (46%) and respiratory conditions (23%) being the most missed diagnoses. One diagnostic error caused a prolonged hospital stay. Common missed diagnostic opportunities included failure to consider the diagnosis despite a suggestive history and failure to broaden diagnostic testing, both at 69%. Unadjusted analysis identified more diagnostic errors in patients with atypical presentations (23.1% vs 3.6%), neurologic chief complaints (46.2% vs 18.8%), admitting intensivists greater than or equal to 45 years old (92.3% vs 65.1%), admitting intensivists with more service weeks/year (mean 12.8 vs 10.9 weeks), and diagnostic uncertainty on admission (77% vs 25.1%). Generalized linear mixed models determined that atypical presentation (odds ratio [OR] 4.58) and diagnostic uncertainty on admission (OR 9.67) were significantly associated with diagnostic error.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Cifra CL, Custer JW, Smith CM .
Prevalence and characteristics of diagnostic error in pediatric critical care: a multicenter study.
Crit Care Med 2023 Nov; 51(11):1492-501. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005942..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medical Errors, Patient Safety
Xie A, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA
Application of participatory ergonomics to the dissemination of a quality improvement program for optimizing blood culture use.
The overuse of blood cultures in pediatric ICUs (PICUs) may lead to the unnecessary utilization of antibiotics and related resistance to antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to utilize a participatory ergonomics (PE) approach to disseminate a quality improvement (QI) program for optimizing blood culture use in PICUs and assess the dissemination process and its impact on blood culture reduction. The study found that overall, the participating sites were able to implement the program successfully and reduce their blood culture rates from 149.4 blood cultures per 1,000 patient-days/month before implementation to 100.5 blood cultures per 1,000 patient-days/month after implementation. Differences in the dissemination process, as well as in local interventions and implementation strategies, were observed across sites. Site-specific variations in the rates of blood cultures were weakly negatively associated with the number of preintervention interactions with the coordinating team but not associated with their experiences with the six domains of the dissemination process or their interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642; HS025238.
Citation: Xie A, Koontz DW, Colantuoni EA .
Application of participatory ergonomics to the dissemination of a quality improvement program for optimizing blood culture use.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2023 Oct; 49(10):529-38. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.06.004..
Keywords: Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Giuliano J, Krishna A, Napolitano N
Implementation of video laryngoscope-assisted coaching reduces adverse tracheal intubation-associated events in the PICU.
The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of a video laryngoscope (VL) as a coaching device to decrease adverse tracheal intubation associated events (TIAEs). Between 2016 and 2020 the researchers implemented VLs as coaching devices with standardized coaching language. Laryngoscopists were encouraged to perform direct laryngoscopy with video images only available in real-time for experienced supervising clinician-coaches. The study found that a VL was used in 71% of 5,060 tracheal intubations. VL utilization increased from a baseline of 29.7% to an implementation phase level of 89.4%. VL utilization was related with lower TIAEs compared with standard laryngoscope (SL). VL utilization was related with lower severe TIAE rate, but not related with a reduction in severe hypoxemia. VL utilization was related with greater first attempt success. In the primary analysis after adjusting for site clustering, VL utilization was related with lower adverse TIAEs. In secondary analyses, VL utilization was not significantly related with severe TIAEs, severe hypoxemia, or first attempt success. After additional controlling for patient and provider characteristics, VL utilization was independently related with a lower TIAE rate.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Giuliano J, Krishna A, Napolitano N .
Implementation of video laryngoscope-assisted coaching reduces adverse tracheal intubation-associated events in the PICU.
Crit Care Med 2023 Jul; 51(7):936-47. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005847..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Lenz KB, Nishisaki A, Lindell RB
Peri-intubation adverse events in the critically ill child after hematopoietic cell transplant.
The goal of this study was to investigate whether adverse peri-intubation associated events occur at increased frequency in pediatric patients with hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) compared with non-HCT oncologic or other pediatric ICU (PICU) patients and therefore might contribute to increased mortality. This retrospective cohort study of critically ill children who underwent tracheal intubation (TI) was conducted between 2014 and 2019. Data was merged from local airway management quality databases and Virtual Pediatric Systems. Data was supplemented with a retrospective chart review for HCT-related data, including HCT indication, transplant-related comorbidity status, and patient condition at the time of TI procedure. There was a total of 1,931 children identified who underwent TI, of which 92 (4.8%) were post-HCT, while 319 (16.5%) had history of malignancy without HCT, and 1,520 (78.7%) had neither HCT nor malignancy. Children post-HCT were older, more often had respiratory failure, use of catecholamine infusions peri-intubation, and use of noninvasive ventilation prior to intubation. There was no difference in hemodynamic tracheal intubation-associated adverse events (TIAEs) or peri-intubation hypoxemia across three groups (HCT 16%, non-HCT with malignancy 10%, other 15%). The authors did not find an association between HCT status and the adverse TI outcome after adjusting for age, difficulty airway feature, provider type, device, apneic oxygenation use, and indication for intubation.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Lenz KB, Nishisaki A, Lindell RB .
Peri-intubation adverse events in the critically ill child after hematopoietic cell transplant.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2023 Jul; 24(7):584-93. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003243..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Adverse Events
Mehta SD, Congdo M, Phillips CA
Opportunities to improve diagnosis in emergency transfers to the pediatric intensive care unit.
This study’s objective was to apply diagnostic process improvement frameworks to identify missed opportunities for improvement in diagnosis (MOID) in pediatric emergency transfers (ETs) and evaluate their association with outcomes. ET is defined as hospitalized patients who require ICU interventions within 1 hour of ICU transfer, which is a proximal measure of late recognition associated with increased mortality and length of stay (LOS). This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2015 to June 2019. Primary outcome was the presence of missed opportunities for improvement in diagnosis (MOID), determined using SaferDx. MOID was identified in 37 of 129 ETs (29%). Cases with MOID differed in originating service, but not demographically, with failure to recognize urgency of an identified condition the most common diagnostic process opportunity. ET cases with MOID had higher odds of mortality and longer post-transfer LOS.
AHRQ-funded; HS028682.
Citation: Mehta SD, Congdo M, Phillips CA .
Opportunities to improve diagnosis in emergency transfers to the pediatric intensive care unit.
J Hosp Med 2023 Jun; 18(6):509-18. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13103..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Chiotos K, Blumenthal J, Boguniewicz J
Antibiotic indications and appropriateness in the pediatric intensive care unit: a 10-center point prevalence study.
The purpose of this study was to describe indications and appropriateness of antibiotic orders in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients. The study found that of 1462 patients admitted to participating PICUs, 58% had at least 1 antibiotic order, with 1277 antibiotic orders being reviewed. Common indications were empiric therapy for suspected bacterial infections without sepsis or septic shock, nonoperative prophylaxis, empiric therapy for sepsis or septic shock, community-acquired pneumonia, and post-operative prophylaxis. Appropriateness was evaluated for 985 orders for which an evidence-based heading for appropriateness could be created. Of these, 34% were categorized as inappropriate. Indications with the most orders classified as inappropriate were empiric therapy for suspected bacterial infection without sepsis or septic shock, sepsis or septic shock, CAP, ventilator-associated infections, and post-operative prophylaxis. The proportion of antibiotics classified as inappropriate differed across institutions.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Chiotos K, Blumenthal J, Boguniewicz J .
Antibiotic indications and appropriateness in the pediatric intensive care unit: a 10-center point prevalence study.
Clin Infect Dis 2023 Feb 8; 76(3):e1021-e30. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac698..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Antibiotics, Medication, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Sepsis
Chiotos K, Marshall D, Kellom K
Mixed-methods process evaluation of a respiratory-culture diagnostic stewardship intervention.
The purpose of this study was to perform an evaluation of a diagnostic stewardship initiative for respiratory culture in the healthcare setting within a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a tertiary-care center. The study found that the frequency of culture collection per day of service differed among attending physicians, ranging from 2.2 to 27 cultures per 100 days. A total of 14 interviews were conducted, and 87 clinicians (response rate: 47%) along with 77 nurses or respiratory therapists (response rate: 17%) participated in the survey. There was a variation in clinicians' stated practices concerning culture ordering, which was influenced by both their specialty and their perception of the respiratory culture's usefulness. Additionally, group "default" practices, fear, and hierarchy affected the decision to order cultures. Obstacles to standardization encompassed concerns about missing a diagnosis and the conflict between standardized practices and individual judgment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Chiotos K, Marshall D, Kellom K .
Mixed-methods process evaluation of a respiratory-culture diagnostic stewardship intervention.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023 Feb; 44(2):191-99. doi: 10.1017/ice.2022.299..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Antibiotics, Medication, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Ramsden SC, Pergjika A, Janssen AC
A systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of droperidol for pediatric agitation in acute care settings.
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness and safety of droperidol for the management of acute, severe agitation in children in acute care settings. The authors conclude that existing data indicate that droperidol is both effective and safe; however, data are limited by study designs that may introduce bias.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Ramsden SC, Pergjika A, Janssen AC .
A systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of droperidol for pediatric agitation in acute care settings.
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Dec;29(12):1466-74. doi: 10.1111/acem.14515..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Medication, Medication: Safety, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Patient Safety
Laverriere EK, Fiadjoe JE, McGowan N
A prospective observational study of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching in the pediatric intensive care unit.
The primary goal of this study was to evaluate whether implementation of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching for tracheal intubation in pediatric patients is feasible with a high level of compliance and associated with a reduction in adverse tracheal intubation-associated events. Findings showed that implementation of video laryngoscopy as a supervising device with standardized coaching language was feasible with a high level of adherence, yet was not associated with an increased occurrence of any adverse tracheal intubation-associated events and oxygen desaturation.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511; HS021583; HS022464.
Citation: Laverriere EK, Fiadjoe JE, McGowan N .
A prospective observational study of video laryngoscopy-guided coaching in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Paediatr Anaesth 2022 Sep;32(9):1015-23. doi: 10.1111/pan.14505..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Education: Continuing Medical Education
Ramesh S, Ayres B, Eyck PT
Impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis in the pediatric intensive care unit.
This retrospective study used chart reviews of critically ill children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to determine the impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis. The majority of patients (87 of 101) were provided subspecialty consultations at the request of the PICU clinician. The consultations were equally for diagnosis (65%) and treatment (66%). There was a change in diagnosis for 21% of patients with consultants from PICU admission to discharge, with 61% attributed to subspecialty input. Forty-five percent of patients with consultations had additional imaging and/or laboratory testing and 55% had a medication change and/or a procedure performed immediately after consultation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Ramesh S, Ayres B, Eyck PT .
Impact of subspecialty consultations on diagnosis in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Diagnosis 2022 Aug;9(3):379-84. doi: 10.1515/dx-2021-0137..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Chiotos K, Fitzgerald JC, Hayes M
Improving vancomycin stewardship in critically ill children.
The purpose of this study was to describe a quality improvement intervention to reduce the use of vancomycin in a tertiary care Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Over a period of 3 years, the researchers conducted 3 quality improvement (QI) interventions including 1) stakeholder education, 2) development of a consensus-based guideline for empiric vancomycin use, and 3) implementation of the guideline through clinical decision support. The study found that of 1276 episodes of suspected bacterial infection, a total of 19 cases of bacteremia (1.5%) due to organisms requiring vancomycin therapy were identified, including 6 MRSA bacteremias. Over the 3-year period of the QI project, overall vancomycin DOT per 1000 patient days in the PICU decreased from a baseline mean of 182 DOT per 1000 patient days to 109 DOT per 1000 patient days (a 40% reduction). The study concluded that the intervention reduced overall vancomycin use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit without evidence of harm.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Chiotos K, Fitzgerald JC, Hayes M .
Improving vancomycin stewardship in critically ill children.
Pediatrics 2022 Apr;149(4):e2021052165. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-052165..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Antibiotics, Medication, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
The purpose of this study was to describe Tracheal Intubation (TI) practice and outcomes in pediatric Emergency Departments as compared to those in intensive care units (ICUs) and use the resulting data to identify targets for quality improvement. The researchers analyzed consecutive TI encounters from pediatric EDs and ICUs in the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS) database from 2015 to 2018. The study found a total of 12,512 TIs in 51 pediatric/cardiac ICUs, and 756 TIs in 13 pediatric EDs and were reported. Proportion of TIs for shock (26% ED vs. 14% ICU), respiratory decompensation (52% vs. 64%), and neurologic deterioration (30% vs. 11%) also differed by location. Limited neck mobility was reported more often in the ED (16% vs. 6%). TIs in the ED were performed more often via video laryngoscopy (64% vs. 29%). Oxygen desaturation was less commonly reported in ED TIs (13.6%) than ICU TIs (17%). Among ED TIs, shock as an indication and limited mouth opening were independently associated with adverse TI-associated events (TIAEs). The study concluded that TI characteristics vary between pediatric EDs and ICUs, yet outcomes are similar.
AHRQ-funded; HS022464.
Citation: Capone CA, Emerson B, Sweberg T .
Intubation practice and outcomes among pediatric emergency departments: a report from National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS).
Acad Emerg Med 2022 Apr;29(4):406-14. doi: 10.1111/acem.14431..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Registries, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Evidence-Based Practice, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Cifra CL, Tigges CR, Miller SL
Reporting outcomes of pediatric intensive care unit patients to referring physicians via an electronic health record-based feedback system.
Before critically ill children are sent to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), many receive their initial evaluations from front-line emergency care clinicians with variable levels of pediatric training. The authors state that reporting pediatric patient outcomes back to the front-line clinicians who provided the emergency care may offer valuable lessons. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a semiautomated electronic health record (EHR)-supported feedback system, developed at a single institution, to determine its usability and clinical relevance in providing timely and relevant PICU feedback to the front-line referring emergency department (ED) clinicians. Applying the Health Information Technology Safety Framework as a guiding model, the researchers conducted qualitative research with stakeholders, and then translated stakeholder, organizational, and usability objectives to design, develop, implement, and assess a semi-automated HER-supported feedback system. The study applied three cycles of an iterative process of implementation and evaluation over 6 months and determined that an EHR-supported feedback process is feasible, and can provide timely, usable, and clinically relevant feedback. In usability testing, physicians reported the process added minimal workload, was well integrated into their existing clinical workflows, and both the act of delivering and receiving feedback was relevant to their clinical practice. The study concluded that a semiautomated EHR-supported clinical feedback system to provide referring ED clinicians with patient outcome feedback was feasible, usable, and relevant to providers. The authors recommend future research to explore applicability to other, similar clinical settings and situations.
AHRQ-funded; HS027363; HS026965.
Citation: Cifra CL, Tigges CR, Miller SL .
Reporting outcomes of pediatric intensive care unit patients to referring physicians via an electronic health record-based feedback system.
Appl Clin Inform 2022 Mar;13(2):495-503. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1748147..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Vivtcharenko VY, Ramesh S, Dukes K
Diagnosis documentation of critically ill children at admission to a PICU.
This study’s objective was to describe how pediatric critical care clinicians document patients' diagnoses at PICU admission. PICU admission notes for 96 unique patients were reviewed. Findings showed that most PICU admission notes documented a rationale for the primary diagnosis and expressed diagnostic uncertainty. Clinicians varied widely in how they organized diagnostic information, used contextual details to clarify the diagnosis, and expressed uncertainty. Recommendations included future work to determine how diagnosis narratives affect clinical decision-making, patient care, and outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965; HS022087.
Citation: Vivtcharenko VY, Ramesh S, Dukes K .
Diagnosis documentation of critically ill children at admission to a PICU.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022 Feb;23(2):99-108. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002812..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Dewan M, Soberano B, Sosa T
Assessment of a situation awareness quality improvement intervention to reduce cardiac arrests in the PICU.
The purpose of this study was to use improved situation awareness to decrease cardiopulmonary resuscitation events by 25% over 18 months and demonstrate process and outcome sustainability. Findings showed that interprofessional teams using shared situation awareness may reduce cardiopulmonary resuscitation events and, thereby, improve outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026975.
Citation: Dewan M, Soberano B, Sosa T .
Assessment of a situation awareness quality improvement intervention to reduce cardiac arrests in the PICU.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022 Jan;23(1):4-12. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002816..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Holding EZ, Turner EM, Hall TA
The association between functional status and health-related quality of life following discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit.
This study investigated the association between new functional impairments, measured by the Functional Status Scale (FSS), and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in pediatric patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) after critical care. This secondary analysis was conducted using children aged 2 months to 18 years with ABI. Complete data were analyzed for 195 children, including 127 with traumatic brain injury. New functional impairment was common with 32 patients experiencing FSS ≥ 3, 50 (26%) patients with FSS increases of 1-2 points, and 113 (58%) patients with no change from prehospital baseline. The majority of children (63%) demonstrated HRQOL ratings ≥ 1 standard deviation below healthy age-based standards.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Holding EZ, Turner EM, Hall TA .
The association between functional status and health-related quality of life following discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit.
Neurocrit Care 2021 Oct;35(2):347-57. doi: 10.1007/s12028-021-01271-8..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Quality of Life, Brain Injury, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
Cifra CL, Custer JW, Singh H
Diagnostic errors in pediatric critical care: a systematic review.
This study is a systematic review on the prevalence, impact, and contributing factors related to diagnostic errors in the PICU. A database search was done for literature up through December 2019. Using specific criteria, 396 abstracts were screened, and 17 studies were included. Fifteen of 17 studies had an observational research design. Autopsy studies showed a 10-23% rate of missed major diagnosis with 5-16% of the errors having a potential adverse impact on survival and would have changed care management. Retrospective record review studies reported varying rates of diagnostic error from 8% in a general PICU population to 12% among unexpected critical admissions. About a quarter of those patients were discussed at PICU morbidity and mortality conferences. Most misdiagnosed conditions were cardiovascular, infectious, congenital, or neurologic. System, cognitive, and both system and cognitive factors were associated with diagnostic error but there is limited information on the impact of misdiagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Cifra CL, Custer JW, Singh H .
Diagnostic errors in pediatric critical care: a systematic review.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2021 Aug;22(8):701-12. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002735..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Medical Errors, Adverse Events, Patient Safety, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care
Riley AR, Williams CN, Moyer D
Parental posttraumatic stress symptoms in the context of pediatric post intensive care syndrome: impact on the family and opportunities for intervention.
Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) survivors and their families experience ongoing impacts on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning, described as Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). The objective of this study was to determine whether the posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) of parents predict the impact of critical illness on families following PICU admission beyond other factors (e.g., sex, race/ethnicity, age, insurance status, illness severity, family involvement or death).
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Riley AR, Williams CN, Moyer D .
Parental posttraumatic stress symptoms in the context of pediatric post intensive care syndrome: impact on the family and opportunities for intervention.
Clin Pract Pediatr Psychol 2021 Jun;9(2):156-66. doi: 10.1037/cpp0000399..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Caregiving, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Family Health and History, Stress
Cifra Cifra, CL Dukes, KC Ayres, et al.
Referral communication for pediatric intensive care unit admission and the diagnosis of critically ill children: a pilot ethnography.
This pilot study’s goal was to determine the feasibility of using focused ethnography to understand the relationship between referral communication and the diagnostic process for critically ill children. Findings showed that focused ethnography in the pediatric intensive care unit is feasible to investigate relationships between clinician referral communication and the diagnostic process for critically ill children.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Cifra Cifra, CL Dukes, KC Ayres, et al..
Referral communication for pediatric intensive care unit admission and the diagnosis of critically ill children: a pilot ethnography.
J Crit Care 2021 Jun;63:246-49. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2020.09.011..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Communication, Critical Care, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Sick-Samuels AC, Linz M, Bergmann J
Diagnostic stewardship of endotracheal aspirate cultures in a PICU.
This study describes the development and impact of a clinical decision support algorithm to standardize the use of endotracheal aspirate cultures (EACs) from ventilated PICU patients in the evaluation of suspected ventilator-associated infections. Bacterial growth in EACs does not distinguish bacterial colonization from infection and may lead to overtreatment with antibiotics. The rate of EACs was compared pre- and postintervention. In the preintervention year there were 557 EACs over 5092 ventilator days. After introduction of the algorithm the rate went down to 234 EACs over 3654 ventilator days. There was a 41% decrease in the monthly rate of EACs. This intervention did not affect mortality, readmissions, or length of stay in ventilated PICU patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Sick-Samuels AC, Linz M, Bergmann J .
Diagnostic stewardship of endotracheal aspirate cultures in a PICU.
Pediatrics 2021 May;147(5). doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-1634..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Decision Making, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Colman N, Newman JW, Nishisaki A
Translational simulation improves compliance with the NEAR4KIDS Airway Safety Bundle in a single-center PICU.
This single-center retrospective review discusses a translational simulation conducted to improve compliance with the National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS) Airway Safety Quality Improvement (QI) bundle to improve the safety of tracheal intubations. The simulation was implemented between March and December 2018. Bundle adherence was assessed 12 months before simulation and 9 months after. Primary outcomes measures were compliance with the bundle and utilization of apneic oxygenation and secondary outcomes was the occurrence of adverse tracheal intubation-associated events. Preintervention bundle compliance was 66%, which increased to 93.7% after the simulation intervention. Adherence to apneic oxygenation was 27.9% before the intervention and increased to 77.9% after. There was no difference in the occurrence of tracheal intubation events.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Colman N, Newman JW, Nishisaki A .
Translational simulation improves compliance with the NEAR4KIDS Airway Safety Bundle in a single-center PICU.
Pediatr Qual Saf 2021 May-Jun;6(3):e409. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000409..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Registries, Simulation, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Woods-Hill CZ, Papili K, Nelson E
Harnessing implementation science to optimize harm prevention in critically ill children: a pilot study of bedside nurse CLABSI bundle performance in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and cost in hospitalized children. An evidence-based bundle of care can decrease CLABSI, but bundle compliance is imperfect. In this study, the investigators explored factors impacting bundle performance in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by bedside nurses. The investigators concluded that PICU nurses were knowledgeable and motivated to prevent CLABSI, but faced challenges from competing clinical tasks, limited resources, and complex family interactions. Physician engagement was specifically noted to impact nurse motivation to complete the bundle.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Woods-Hill CZ, Papili K, Nelson E .
Harnessing implementation science to optimize harm prevention in critically ill children: a pilot study of bedside nurse CLABSI bundle performance in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Am J Infect Control 2021 Mar;49(3):345-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2020.08.019..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI), Patient Safety, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Nursing, Patient Safety
Nishisaki A, Lee A, Li S
Sustained improvement in tracheal intubation safety across a 15-center quality-improvement collaborative: an interventional study from the national emergency airway registry for children investigators.
The authors sought to evaluate the effect of a tracheal intubation safety bundle on adverse tracheal intubation-associated events across 15 PICUs. The safety bundle included a quarterly site benchmark performance reports and an airway safety checklist consisting of preprocedure risk factor, approach, and role planning, preprocedure bedside "time-out," and immediate postprocedure debriefing. The authors found that effective implementation of a quality-improvement bundle was associated with a decrease in the adverse tracheal intubation-associated event that was sustained for 24 months.
AHRQ-funded; HS021583; HS022464; HS024511.
Citation: Nishisaki A, Lee A, Li S .
Sustained improvement in tracheal intubation safety across a 15-center quality-improvement collaborative: an interventional study from the national emergency airway registry for children investigators.
Crit Care Med 2021 Feb;49(2):250-60. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004725..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Balikai SC, Badheka A, Casey A
Simulation to train pediatric ICU teams in endotracheal intubation of patients with COVID-19.
This paper describes the outcomes of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) simulation training to safely perform endotracheal intubations in children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Confidence levels before and after training was measured using the Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M, Likert scale 0-2). Fifty unique PICU staff members participated in 9 simulation sessions and mean confidences scores increased from 0.9 to 2.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Balikai SC, Badheka A, Casey A .
Simulation to train pediatric ICU teams in endotracheal intubation of patients with COVID-19.
Pediatr Qual Saf 2021 Jan-Feb;6(1):e373. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000373..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Simulation, Training, Public Health, Infectious Diseases